This invention relates to religious shrines and objects used in ceremony at the gravesite of one bereaved by the user of the shrine and more particularly to portable religious shrines.
Heretofore when a person or family visits the gravesite of a beloved person objects such as a bible, candles, incense and the like traditionally are carried to the gravesite. Then at the gravesite the usual commemorative objects would be used without benefit of an altar or shrine all of which is inconvenient to the person visiting the gravesite.
R. G. Reising in U.S. Pat. No. 2,656,915, issued in 1950 discloses a utility sick call case suitable for use by a priest in administering the rites of the Roman Catholic Church to the sick and dying. This sick call case would not be suitable for use at a gravesite in a commemorative ceremony by one bereaved by the loss of a beloved person, however.
E. F. Gallagher in U.S. Pat. No. 3,085,839, issued in 1961 discloses a shrine case that is also useful as a two piece assembly which can be used as a case for a bible or other book. The shrine case would be suitable for use in the home as a decorative object or even a support for an open book. However, again the shrine case is not suitable for use at a gravesite because it requires electricity for operation of the lamp which is a part of the shrine case.
Garcia in U.S. Pat. No. 4,262,325, issued in April of 1981 discloses an altar with candle holders. This altar is not, however, suitable for storage of objects such a a bible that might be used as a gravesite and is not portable.
Miller in U.S. Pat. No. 4,455,772, issued in January of 1984 discloses a memorial display case that could be used at a gravesite. This case, however, is not portable and would not be suitable for holding burning candles which might be appropriate at a gravesite.
The object of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art and to provide a portable shrine that can be used to hold a burning candle and incense, that can be used to store objects used when visiting a gravesite such as a bible, and that can be stored at the gravesite or at the cemetery office for use at the gravesite by one bereaved.